


unsettling radio-silence

by catpoop



Series: Sheith Month 2018 [8]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Established Relationship, M/M, Surprises, Texting, Valentine's Day Fluff, Worried Keith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 20:12:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15251151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catpoop/pseuds/catpoop
Summary: Sheith Month '18 - 10/7: SuspicionShiro is being a sneaky sneak aboutsomething, and Keith is getting worried





	unsettling radio-silence

**Author's Note:**

> ty for all the kudos + comments on my 11/7 fic god bless

When Keith wakes up, he feels _off_. He recognises his surroundings as the sight he wakes up to every morning, feels the same firm pillow beneath his head and the same duvet clutched in one fist. But regardless, Keith crinkles his nose – something seems strange. The stark ceiling above him offers no answer, and it’s until a good five minutes later that he realises – Shiro hasn’t sent him his usual ‘good morning’ text.

Tilting his head to check, Keith confirms in dismay that his phone is eerily quiet, for the first time in months. And even stranger is the fact, when he remembers _distinctly_ that today is the one day in the week that Shiro has no classes.

Unable to fight the slight pout that forms on his face, Keith taps out a quick ‘morning’ and sets the phone back down.

Shiro responds a while later, when he’s gobbling down the final bites of his breakfast and preparing to leave for class.

_Good morning to you too <3_

And then, immediately after:

_I’m sorry! I forgot to send my usual message :’(_

Keith forgives him immediately, but he has to wonder what Shiro is so occupied with. 

‘what are you up to?’

 

Keith’s phone finally vibrates when he’s halfway into his first class, and he squints at Shiro’s succinct reply.

_At the gym_

Which is strange, because he _knows_ Shiro is a 6am gym type of person; has accompanied him a few times. Maybe Shiro’s found a new job at the gym or something, but Keith likes to think he’s privy to most of the comings and goings in Shiro’s life, if only because Shiro enjoys talking to him so much. 

The furious clattering of keys around him reminds him to resume typing up his own set of notes, and Keith taps out a quick reply before refocusing on the lecture.

‘ok have fun’

 

The ‘Shiro-dilemma’ sits mostly at the back of his mind for the rest of the morning, only re-emerging when he sits down to lunch next to an empty, Shiro-shaped gap.

“Has anyone seen Shiro?”

Hunk makes the shiftiest expression he’s ever seen before coughing into a fist and saying, “No.”

Keith stares. “Uhuh?”

Pidge and Lance offer similarly negative answers, and he can only glance down at his phone for the umpteenth time and give up on the idea of eating his lunch with Shiro beside him.

“It’s strange,” Keith sighs into his food when Lance’s chatter finally slows down. “He hasn’t been this distant ever since we – since we…”

“Got married?” Lance offers. “You know, you _can_ acknowledge the fact that you guys are publically eye-fucking each other every second of every day.”

“No!” Keith exclaims, flustered. “We’re just – dating, okay?” 

“Why are you telling us this like we haven’t literally witnessed every second of your romantic life together?”

Keith resumes his eating at an angrier pace, for lack of a reply.

Shiro still hasn’t messaged him back by the time he’s done with lunch, and that’s when the _abject terror_ starts to kick in – what if he messed up somehow, and has to return to that point in his life where the only glimpses he got of Shiro were from a worshipful distance, or from Lance’s grossly distorted retellings of his own encounters with Shiro, mostly to incite fury and envy.

Panicking, Keith catches sight of the nearest head of close-shaven black hair and has half a mind to yell out Shiro’s name before the logical side of his brain takes over and tries to smother any and all of his irrational thoughts to death.

Still, he hadn’t realised how much he depends on Shiro for… too many things. The idle parts during his lessons, usually filled with messages from Shiro, are left all too barren. Keith doesn’t think he can stomach turning to Lance for help right now, and his phone lies silent on the desk in front of him.

And the parts of his mind usually reserved for stressing about assessments are occupied with stressing about more Shiro-shaped things for him to concentrate on class. Sighing, Keith rests his forehead atop crossed arms and waits for the hour to be over.

 

Finally, _finally_ , after a tiring day of catching hallucinatory glimpses of his boyfriend wherever he goes – even if Shiro’s not usually in on this day, he’ll meet up with Keith in-between classes and otherwise – Keith returns to his dorm room to a welcome sight. A video-call, from one very important man.

“Hey, babe.” Shiro smiles radiantly at him.

“Hi, Shiro,” Keith replies a little less enthusiastically, trying not to let tiredness seep into his voice. But Shiro, sharp as always, immediately pins him with a concerned look.

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s nothing,” Keith shakes his head. “Tell me more about your day?”

The concern doesn’t disappear from Shiro’s face – if anything, it morphs into a strange, uncomfortable expression.

“I told you, right? I went to the gym, and then took some time off since I don’t have classes today –”

“I know,” Keith confirms quietly, struggling to understand why Shiro’s telling him these things like they’re just getting to know each other.

“Yeah, and then I did some work for tomorrow. Nothing exciting.” Shiro finishes.

“Oh, okay…” Attempting to bolster the mood of the conversation, Keith relays tales of his own day, mostly what gossip he had picked up from Lance’s unending chatter. Shiro nods encouragingly in all the right spots, focused on every word. 

“Sounds like you had a great time, Keith,” Shiro laughs, and Keith shrugs a little.

“So I’ll – I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Shiro brightens at the question, despite the very obvious insecurity that slips into Keith’s voice. “Oh yeah, yeah of course! I’ll meet you at the quad as usual?”

“Okay.”

And with that, they bid each other goodnight, Keith feeling a little better – at least he has Shiro to look forward to tomorrow.

 

Early the next morning, Keith wakes to that familiar good morning text – but this time decorated enthusiastically with a string of assorted hearts.

_Morning, babe <3 _  
_Did you sleep well?_  
_I’m really excited to see you today – don’t forget to go to the quadrangle, okay?_

Rubbing his bleary eyes, Keith smiles confusedly into his pillow – something’s got Shiro riled up, and he has no idea what.

‘i haven’t forgotten :)’ 

His morning routine goes a little smoother when he has something to look forward to, and Keith changes into his nicer pair of jeans before taking the five-minute walk to the quad. His heart perceptibly softens as he catches sight of Shiro in his usual corner, grinning from ear to ear and giving him a big wave. He returns it with vigour.

“Hi, Shiro.”

“Hi, Keith,” the man says slowly, wobbling on his tippy toes like he’s ready to fall over. There’s an unnatural pause, before – 

“Surprise!” Four voices chime in unison, some less enthusiastic than others (Keith notes the grimace on Lance’s face), but he quickly forgets about the embarrassment of the whole situation when Shiro produces a massive bouquet from _wherever_ he had been hiding it. Behind his back?

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Keith,” Shiro smiles at the dumbstruck look on his face, and Keith slowly wraps his fingers around the stem of the bouquet. The moment his hands are free, Shiro pulls him into a tight hug, mostly unimpeded by the flowers. 

“U-Um…” Flustered, Keith doesn’t know where to look – at the trio of Pidge, Hunk, and Lance awkwardly standing beside them, the swirled petals of _too many_ roses, or the look of absolute adoration on Shiro’s face. He decides on the latter as Shiro presses a passionate smooch to his cheek. 

“I’ve got chocolates too, but you’ll have to go back to my room for those.”

“But – but Shiro, I didn’t even know it was Valentine’s Day.” Keith says, trying to fight the guilty look appearing on his face.

“It’s okay – I didn’t realise until yesterday either.”

“Y-Yesterday?” Realisation dawns on Keith’s face.

Shiro makes an apologetic expression. “Yeah. Sorry – I really wanted to keep everything a surprise.”

“Oh, that’s – that’s okay, Takashi. I forgive you.”

At that, Shiro smiles brilliantly, dives in for a kiss, and all but carries him off – before Pidge reminds them that Keith has class in ten minutes.

“Don’t you dare make me endure stats by myself, Kogane!”

“Oh right, shit.” Keith nearly drops the bouquet in his mad scramble, but Shiro takes it from him with gentle hands. 

“I’ll take care of this for you while you’re busy, okay? As much as I want you to carry it to all your classes…”

Keith snorts. “Thanks for being a considerate boyfriend.”

“Thank _you_ for being my boyfriend.”

Once in class, Keith can’t concentrate at all – but now for an entirely different reason.

**Author's Note:**

> afterwards they go make out loads and have a cute lunch date and takeaway pizza for dinner (keith's faves) and lots of passionate sex
> 
> also: yeah i kno keith is being weirdly unhealthily dependent on shiro but also this is supposed to be lighthearted (and i dont want to go abck and edit the whole thing) so just - dont take it too seriously


End file.
